Countdown to Mack corruption trial: 54 days, $500 in his bank account

TRENTON — For a man who earns six figures, Mayor Tony F. Mack does not have a whole lot to show for it.

According to bankruptcy documents submitted in February, Mack had $500 in a PNC Bank account and $500 on hand.

That is surprising considering the indicted mayor earns a yearly salary of $126,460.

What could have dug Mack further into a hole was council attempted several times to cut his salary in half after he was indicted on federal corruption charges. The measures, however, failed.

The Chapter 13 application submitted his wife, Kara, was dismissed in June for failure to fulfill obligations as part of the bankruptcy process, court documents indicate.

According to bankruptcy documents, Mack's total liabilities were a little more than $500,000.

The creditors listed were the State of New Jersey for $1,800 and the IRS for $56,000, both for income taxes. For student loans, Mack owed $3,300 to AFSA, $1,000 to the University of Phoenix and $1,400 to Sun Trust. Credit card listed include Sears for $2,500, Lan Bryant Retail for $200 and Capital One for $1,100. Mack also owed more than $1,300 in medical bills.

Mortgages for single family homes on Tioga Street and Berkely Avenue, and a line of credit for an apartment building with commercial space listed as Mack's residence at 302 W. State St. are also recorded in the bankruptcy filing.

In December, a federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment charging Mack, his brother Ralphiel Mack, and close associate Joseph “JoJo” Giorgianni with extortion, bribery, and mail and wire fraud.

Mack and his co-defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges, which stem from an alleged scheme to accept $119,000 in bribes in exchange for using the mayor's influence over the development of the parking garage on city-owned land.

Mack's trial, which has been postponed twice, is scheduled for Jan. 6.